The latest Saltwater Sportsman?

The Striper expert thing especially? I subscribe, but that thing seemed more like and info-mercial than specific real use advice. Van-Stal should be thrilled at that endoresment. Was that an add or genuine article?

The mag seems to be taking on a, as Billy Joel sang, "A New York State of Mind".

I dig the big spoon thing though, that was cool.:uhuh:

I gave up on the mag a few years ago when 90% of the publication catered to 2% of the fishing public. I know thats narrow-minded to a certain degree, but with OTW and a few well-chosen salt water FF mags, ones desire to keep in touch with what is going on can be well-served.

I saw that too. Not much real information there at all. I cannot believe how brief the articles are. I too enjoyed the spoon article.

I dropped that mas too ------------wat too much ads //:uhoh:

Lame. They're going downhill.
The big spoon thing was OK, but then I find out you can't buy the big spoons anywhere.

I signed up for a free subscription last year at the RISAA show. It never came, so I finally called them last August and complained. The next week I got my first issue (september). Then I get the latest issue the other day and there's a big "THIS IS YOUR LAST ISSUE" thingy on the front.
I'd be curious to hear if anyone else had any similar problems with their "free" one year subscription, from last year's show.

Lame. They're going downhill.
The big spoon thing was OK, but then I find out you can't buy the big spoons anywhere.

I signed up for a free subscription last year at the RISAA show. It never came, so I finally called them last August and complained. The next week I got my first issue (september). Then I get the latest issue the other day and there's a big "THIS IS YOUR LAST ISSUE" thingy on the front.
I'd be curious to hear if anyone else had any similar problems with their "free" one year subscription, from last year's show.

JB Tackle has them in thier catalog and had them for sale at the RISSA Show.

Saltwater sportsman is the readers digest of fishing mags.. they try to be everything for everybody. theres some good stuff, but alot of fluff as well.

Those big spoons also cost $75 each.

They look interesting, but I can just see someone cranking down the drag and bye,bye, cash.

I'll take the $25 Reliable spoon, thanks.

I have gotten the free subscription for the last two years from the RISAA show. No problems here.

Lame. They're going downhill.
The big spoon thing was OK, but then I find out you can't buy the big spoons anywhere.

I signed up for a free subscription last year at the RISAA show. It never came, so I finally called them last August and complained. The next week I got my first issue (september). Then I get the latest issue the other day and there's a big "THIS IS YOUR LAST ISSUE" thingy on the front.
I'd be curious to hear if anyone else had any similar problems with their "free" one year subscription, from last year's show.

I signed up for the free subscription at the RISAA Show last year. I was already a subscriber so they told me it would get tacked on as an extra year. Yeah, right. Guess what? I have been getting 2 copies for a year. Now they want me to renew BOTH subscriptions. Guess what again??? Not renewing either one:wid:

If you are looking for a local mag it really doesn't offer much. They try to give a little for everyone on all coasts. It is interesting to read about other places though and can give you some good trip ideas.

Lame. They're going downhill.
The big spoon thing was OK, but then I find out you can't buy the big spoons anywhere.

I signed up for a free subscription last year at the RISAA show. It never came, so I finally called them last August and complained. The next week I got my first issue (september). Then I get the latest issue the other day and there's a big "THIS IS YOUR LAST ISSUE" thingy on the front.
I'd be curious to hear if anyone else had any similar problems with

their "free" one year subscription, from last year's show.

Mine has shown every month, though I can't say its the mag for a sand fisherman. It was nice that they added the monthly shore segment, does seem like the new editor has helped a bit tho its still mostly for the boat crowd.

The best way to shape a magazine's content and direction is to contribute.

The best way to shape a magazine's content and direction is to contribute.

Thats why this format of media a much better source of entertaintment an information.For me at least.We shape the content.An guys like Joe provide the cuttinig edge info.

The best way to shape a magazine's content and direction is to contribute.
I have been asked. Have some problems with some things I have seen in the past year and my heart lies with other projects. To get that magazine out of the hands of Time/Warner, which will never happen, is what is needed. They are understaffed, over-stressed and the pool of experience in the field of surfcasting is limited in that would they recognize the value of most of what interests us here?

Corporate sits in the fighting chair while the Editor drives the boat in the direction they want. Bottom line is the only passion that keeps the office open in the glass tower no matter how hard DDB tries the mahogany desk and cigar guys upstairs rule the roost. Striped Bass and surf fishing are sentimental old memories that are given a small percentage of type space for that reason. Three pages of girls in bikini elf suits with a horny Santa at xmas may be eye candy but there are plenty of magazines that you can get that from, SWS just didn't seem the place it should have been in.

I am going to let my subscription lapse.....barely enough good reading in there to last me one trip to the head for a good release!:laughs:

i'm done with them- no substance, just ads. see ya......

just history

Once the magazine shifted from Boston to NYC, and the crew at top changed, it definitely went down hill. As for the publication being a boating focused publication, absolutely. In fact for years they never ran a story on fishing from the shore because the advertising dollars to support the magazine comes mainly from the boating industry.
But who can blame them?

But Joe makes a great point, it's easy to complain, harder to do something about it. Fortunately we have sites like this and our local publications like The Fisherman and OTW.

When I was younger i couldn't wait for my field an streams to arrive.I would dreeam of fishin some majestic stream or making a thousand cast's for a giant muskie.I usta tie my own flies when i was nine.from one of them funny mail order kits wit the bag o feathers.That was a longtime ago an of course my tastes have changed but i still usta read a lot of different magazines i was a fisherman and still am.I barely buy a magazine any more,I get OTW so I can find out new spots(can't wait to see whoose town they blow up this yr.)an sometimes i buy the fisherman.evry know an then I buy the SWS.I have to give NDB a Thumbs up he is trying if u think ur gonna get something special don't hold ur breath.But there have been some very good articles.I like the adds.I like commercials on TV also.Sometimes u find something in there thats informative. Not all the good new info comes from the internet only.I have the perfect attention span for magazine articles bout ten mins.If it where gone i would miss it.I just ordered a subscription.Twelve issue's for about the price of a Hab's plug.Tough to beat that.

I got a free subscription at the RISSA show last year, I will not renew as the majority of the mag is either boat fishing or ads. Also, the article about the spoons confused me. Why is the captain using wire line if the IGFA doesn't recognize it?:huh:

I finally got my issue
I thought that page of experts was helpful, short and sweet.maybe you're just jealous flap;)
I wonder when they will run a Flaptail article:huh: come on Steve, send them something :D

I still like the mag better than Sport Fishing mag. that one is definately all boat.

NIB, I didn't know you could read


crankenstein

O'boy, u callin Flap names. U now he's gonna go haywire on ur ass.:tm:
:rotf2:

Flap -
If you're saying the place is populated by people whom you don't really care for on a personal level, and who's philosophy runs counter to your own, then dealing with them should not be a problem for you. That exuse won't fly here at SRI central.

Look at the facts: Stories revolving around inshore boating within the striper fishery are their favorites. And, they are running the occasional surf story once again. You're a good fit. Forget that other stuff, and get to scribbling. Don't try and span the gap in one piece, just a story that steps outside the box. (Not that you need to be told.)

You have to put aside the things you don't like and look at the big picture. Otherwise, you're just another bitter voice in the wilderness. If you did an outstanding article, one that resulted in a flood of (positive) letters and emails from the readership - believe me, it would set the stage for similar content and change.

I'm gonna write a story that chronicles my fishing trips.Call it Surf Casting On A Budget or the Diary Of a MaDmAn.or How To Fish Five Nights on a Hundy an Shower in a Dunkin Donuts.i could include neto tidbits like exploding glass at Evan Hortins gallery,The man in the Redvan, ghosts of the ditch,an Clam Balls n' Chowda.folks down here neva heard of Clams wit balls.